Self-propelled mine roof prop



P. J. MALLOY SELF-PROPELLED MINE Roos1 PROP July 7 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Aug.- 16, 1951 v INVENTOR.

Hsu J.' Afa/.my

July 7, 1953 Filed Aug. 16, 1951 P. J. MALLOY SELF-PROPELLED MINE ROOFPROP f-f-G. 4

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

July 7, 1953 P. J. M-ALLoY 2,644,311

Y SELF-PROPELLED MINE ROF PROP Armenie-ys Patented July 7, 1953 Paul J.Malloy,- Lakewoo'd', Ollio, assignor of onefA half tolaul V. Malloy,Lakewood, `Ohio Application August 16, 1951 vSerial No.` 242,159-` Thisinvention relates to mining apparatus and, more particularly, to mineroof supports or prop devices. v

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel prop devicewhich is of a simple and economical construction involving a relativelysmall number of parts, but which is very rugged and durableand can bereadily manipule. lated'for engaging the same with or disengaging thesame from the mine roof. -v

yAnother object is to providea novel propr device of this characterwhich comprises adjacent' prop units andl ismovable along the ymineiloor inY response to a relative step-by-step .movement between the propunits, and in which the movement of they prop device is preferably'aselfpropelled movement. y

A `further-object is toY provide a novel prop device of the charactermentioned in which the adjacent propunits comprise, respectively, apairofv spaced jacks and al third jackv disposed between' the spacedjacks, and infwhich' an actuating means for the prop units impartspushing and pulling forces thereto for causing/the step by-step advancemovement of 'the Vprop device.'

As still another object, this invention providesv a'novel prop device ofthe kind above' referredV to inA which each of theY prop unitscomprises'` floor and roof engaging members and an actuating means forthe roof engaging `member including cooperating inclined wedgingsurfaces.V The invention can be further briey sum,

marized as consisting in certainy novel combinations and arrangements ofparts-hereinafter de-v scribed and particularly set 'out in the claims'v1 but showing'the prop device in a longitudinally extended condition; IY Fig. 4' is a top plan view of the prop such longitudinally extendedcondition;

Fig. 5 a longitudinal vertical sect'ion'talrenlv through the prop devicesubstantially asA indicated by section line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. v6i iS a similar longitudinal sectional view taken as indicated byvsection lmet-5 6' of lFig.'

Vrignfllis a transverse vertical section taken deviceA in` l9 Claims.(01.,61-4'5) n Y 2 throughthe prop device as indicated `by section line.'I-'1 of Fig. Y1'.

As one practical embodiment of this invention, the drawings show thenovel prop device Ii) as f comprising a pair of longitudinally extendingadjacent prop u'nits Il andy I2. The prop unit Il comprises a pair oflongitudinally extending jacks I3l andv I4 which are disposed inadjacent substantially paralleli-relation withgalongitudinal-spacer'I51therebetween.l The propV unit I2 comprises asingle longitudinally extending jack located-between the spaced jacks I3and Ill of the propA unit IIL Ihe space I5 constitutes a Working spacefor' the intermediate 'prop unit orjackl,V 'l

' As shown' in; Figs. 1, 5 and. 7, each of the jacks I3 and lIt of theprop unit II- comprises a lower or floor engagingf'member- I6 adapted tobe sup' ported onthe mine floors II and an upper or roofengaging'vmember I8 'which isv engageable with thermine roof -I9`inthemannerexplained hereinafter. The members' I6and I8 are in the form offblocks whichV can -be -constructed of wood, as for example wood timbers,or any other suitable material; "'IAheiloor members I6 of the jacks I3and I4. are preferablywprovided on the bottom surface'v thereof withmetal skid plates or shoes4r 20- tof'acilitatesliding movement ci thepropunit ISI on the minefloor I1.

Each of the jacks I3 and IIIY also embodies a.-

wedgingf means for causing movement of the roofmember I Il into and outof engagement with the' mine roof I9;Y This `wedging means is hereshovvnascomprising inclined wedging surfaces 2If and v22-provided on theadjacent faces of the floor Yand roof'mem-be'rs I6 and l'and whichwedgingl-surfacesV are in sliding cooperation with eachfother. TheWedging surfaces 2l and 22 can be formedy by the inclined faces of theoor and' roof members I6` and I8, but preferably, are formedv by metalplates orV bearing strips 2i2l and 22k provided on such inclined facesto facilitate relative sliding therebetween.

'From the construction'` thus far described for the jacks I3 and I4, itwill be seen that the roofY member I8'is' itself a Asubstantiallywedgeshapedamember which Will be lifted vand will engage the mine roof`Illl with a powerful lifting Y y force inl'res'ponseY to'movement ofthis member Duringsuch uphill'movement of the member I8 Y* toengage-'the same withY the mine roof I9, the

inclined surface 22 slides on the inclined surface 2l of the oor memberI6 in wedging cooperation therewith. Movement of the roof member I8 in adownhill direction relative to the floor member IB, that is, toward theright as seen in Fig. 1 disengages the roof member from the mine roof I9and releases the lifting or supporting force being applied thereto.

For causing such uphill and kdownhill relative movements of the roofmember I8 relative to the iloor member I6 of the jacks I3 and I4, eachof these jacks is provided with a power device which is here shown asbeing in the form of a hydraulic cylinder 24. The adjacent surfaces ofthe noor and roof. members I6 and I8 of these jacks have channel-shapedrecesses therein in substantially registering relation which define anoperating chamber 25 for the hydraulic cylinder 24. One

end of this hydraulic cylinder is pivotally anohored on one of the jackmembers, in this instance the floor member I6, by means of a trans-Verse anchor pin 26. A piston 21 recipfrocably operable in the cylinder24 is connected with the inner end of a piston rod 28 which projectsfrom the cylinder. The outer end of the piston rod is pivotallyconnected with the roof member I8 by means of a transverse pivot pin 29.

The cylinder 24 is a double-acting cylinder to which hydraulic fluidunder pressure is adapted to be supplied by conduits 30 and 3 I. Theabovementioned uphill movement of the roof member I8 of the jacks I3land I4 relative to the floor member I6 is produced by supplyinghydraulic fluid under pressure to one end of the cylinder 24 through theconduit 3I and releasing hydraulic fluid from the opposite end of thecylinder through the conduit 38. The downhill movement of the roofmember I8 relative to the floor member IB is produced by supplyinghydraulic presssure iuid to the cylinder 24 through the conduit 33 andreleasing pressure uid from the other end of the cylinder through theconduit 3|. During such uphill and downhill actuations of the roofmember I8, the cylinder 24 will swing on the pivot pin 26 as isrepresented by the dotted line cylinder positions 24gand 24b shown inFig. l.

The single jack constituting the prop unit I2 also comprises a pair offloor and roof members 33 and 34, similar to the iioor and roof membersI6 and I8 described above, and of which the member 33 is supported onthe mine' floor I1 and has a skid plate 35 on the bottom thereof tofacilitate sliding of this prop unit on the mine floor. The roof member34 is movable into and out of engagement with the mine roof I9 inthesame manner as the member I8 of the jacks I3 and I4. That is to say, thefloor and` roof members 33 and 34 of the prop unit I2 have cooperatinginclined Wedging surfaces 36 and 31 on their adjacent faces and formedby metal bearing plates or strips 36a and 31a and which wedging surfacesare in sliding cooperation with each other.

The uphill and downhill movements of the roof member 34 of the prop unitI2 are produced by an actuating device embodied in this unitv and whichis |here shown as being inthe form of a double-acting hydraulic cylinder:3 8 having a piston 39 reciprocablyV slidable therein. The cylinder 38is located in a chamber 40 which is formed by registering recesses inthe adjacent portions of the door and roof members 33 and nected withthe floor member 33 bywmeans o f a` 4 Y transverse pivot pin 4I. Apiston rod 42 connected with the piston 39 has its outer end connectedwith the roof member 34 by means of a transverse pivot pin 43. Uphllmovement of the roof member 34 relative to the floor member 33 isproduced by supplying hydraulic pressure fluid to the right end of thecylinder 38 through the conduit 44 and downhill movement of the roofmember 34 is produced by supplying pressure fluid to the Opposite end ofthe cylinder through the conduit 45. During such uphill and downhill Ymovements of the roof member 34 the cylinder 38 swings to its inclineddotted line positions 38a and 33b as shown in Fig., 6.

The prop .unit I'I .also includes a connecting means for the spacedjacks I3 and I4 which holds these jacks in the spaced relation shown inthe drawings such that they will move together during actuation of thisprop unit along the mine floor I1. This connecting means is here shownas comprising a transverse bar 41 located at one end of the prop deviceIIl and formed by a pair of upper and lower bar members or channels 41aand 41h. The forward ends of the floor members I6 of the jacks I3 and I4are connected with the transverse bar 41 by means of the yokes 48. Theseyokes are here shown as being in the form of strap members having an eyeportion 4Ila at the rear end thereof and a flat portion 48b at the frontend thereof which is clamped between the upper and lower members 41a and41b of the transverse bar 41 by a clamping bolt 49. The rear ends of theyokes 48 are connected with the floor members I6 of the jacks I3 and I4by transverse anchor pins 50.

The prop device IIl also includes an actuating means for causingrelative reciprocating movements between the prop units II and I2 whichproduces a, self-propelled step-by-step advance movement of the propdevice along the mine floor I1 as will be more fully explainedhereinafter. This actuating means also constitutes a connecting meansbetween the prop units I I and I2 and is here shown` as comprising aVhydraulic power cylinder 52.. In this instance the actuating means islocated in the prop unit I2, although if desired, it could be embodiedin one or both of the jacks of the prop unit II. To accommodate thehydraulic cylinder 52, the floor member 33 is provided with alongitudinal passage or recess defining a chamber 53 in which thiscylinder is disposed.

One end of the hydraulic cylinder 52 is connected with the ocr member 33by means ofy a transverse anchor pin 54. A piston 55 is reciprocable inthe cylinder and is connected with the inner end of a piston rod 56. Theouter end of the piston rod 56 is connected with the transverse bar 41at an intermediate point thereof by means of the clamping bolt 51.Condui-ts 58 and 59 are connected with the cylinder 52 adjacent theopposite ends thereof for supplying hydraulic pressure uid tothis'cylinder and exhausting such iluid therefrom.

When the prop device lil has been placed in a desired location in a,mine room or tunnel passage, it can be expanded into supportingengagement with the mine roof -by causing the above explained uphillmovements of th-e roof members I8 and 34 of the prop units YIlfand I2relative to the floor members Iand 33 of these prop units. When it isdesirable to advance the .prop device to a different position, it iscaused to propel itself along the mine floor VI1 in the manner'v .whichWill-ww be described .es a, preparatory step i to such advance :movementVthe' roof -memberf-or members vfof one :of tli'e'z'pro'p uriits, for.example, the roofmembers llf'ofithe -ijacksrl and Ill,v are disengagedfrom. the-'fmineiroof I9 while `the-roof member'34 cftheprop-unit .I2remains in its roof-engagedpositiom i By supplying pres-sureVfluidtorthehydrauliccylinder 152 through vthe 'conduit .58,SthisicylinderL-is now actuated to applyapushingfforc'eitothe transversebar 41 Which,nin.turn,` liap'plya pullingforce to the jacks I-Bfandi Miadf-Will'ai- Vance the same toY the position7 sho-Wnf-l-inFigs. L13 and4' by sliding 'the 'floor .members 'IB thereof along the mine viloor.When thepropunitllfI--has been thus advanced relativetothezprop unitIIZ, the hydraulicv cylinders '24 'iof-the-ljacksl and'SId arethenfactuated ina'directiontocausean uphill movement of theroofmembersLI--fto engagathe same with the mineA roof I9. 13 Next, thehydrauliccylinderi38eofthe1prop unit I2 vris Aactuated to rnove atheroof member @452m a downhill direction to vdise'nga'ge-the samefrom themine roof I9; Thisreleases' the prop unit'f-iIZ for contractingmovement-in-a''forward fdir'ecti'on into the working space I5. Bysupplying-pressure fluidto the forward-end of the hydraulic cylinder 52through the conduit 59, the cylinder member will be advancedA relativeto the piston 55 to thereby iladvancetheprop "unit I'Zlin "theworking-space I by slidingo'f the 'floor `member'.-331-.5along theminejfloor I'I.

Byrepeating the series ofy operating steps i explained, .the propdevi-cefffoanbe moved-for any desired distance in either. va .forwardorbackward direction and when it arrives-at thel "desired location, bothof the prop units `I I'and l2 can be actuated to engagevthe-roof'members IB and 34 in supporting engagement with;- the mine roof IB.

From thefforegoing detailed description and the ac-companying drawings,it Will now be readily understood that this invention provides a mineroof prop device which is of a relatively simple construction embodyinga comparatively small number of' parts, but which is nevertheless veryrugged and durable and can be readily actuated to its roof supportingcondition or to disengage the same from the mine roof. It will now alsobe understood that the novel roof prop provided by this invention is aself-propelledV prop which is movable with a step-by-step movement ineither a forward or backward direction to locate the device in a desiredposition atwhich the mine roof is to be supported. Additionally, it willbe seen that the jacks comprising the prop units embody an actuatingmeans Whi-ch includes inclined wedging surfaces in sliding engagementwith eachother and power means for causing such relative sliding.

It will now also be recognized that by reason of the ease and rapiditywith which the prop units can be engaged or disengaged with respect tothe mine roof and the facility with which this prop device can beshifted into or out of a desired position, the device will permit themore rapid carrying out of desired mining operations and will permitroof props to be rapidly advanced with the progress of the miningoperation.

Although the mine roof prop of this invention ``has been illustrated anddescribed herein to a somewhat detailed extent it will be understood, of

course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limitedcorrespondingly in scope but includes all changes and modificationscoming within the terms of the claims hereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. In a mine roof prop ofthe character described, a pair :of ffadjacent .propl units movablerelative to Leachlother alongzthe mine :floorfand each having-.asubstantially wedge-shaped `'Inovable; member engageable rwith 1 the"mine roof and an actuating'means'for saidmovable member. for A f eachofsaid ljacks :having -a .substantially wedge- I shaped1 movable memberengageablewith the mine roof and l an'f actuating means for movingsaidmovablelmember intoand out of engagement with said roof, 'and-connectingmeans'connectingfsaid prop units and effective to'itransmitpushin'g andpullingiforces therebetween for causingy ther-relative'movement'betweenthe propunits and-includingpower:meansioperableto producesaidpushingand-pullingforces. #f v Y $3. .In La mine .roof :prop :of the characterJdescribed, a pair of adjacent prop units-:movable relative to each:other .along fthe .mine ifloor; connectingmeans connectingsaid prop.units and-ef'- fective to Ltransmitpushin'g and .pulling forcestherebetweenfor "causingsu'ch, relative movement between .the .propunitseach :of sai'd' `prop units comprising a floor engagingrmember'zan'd .a roof engageable member, an `actuating meansffor ftheroof engageable member vof teach.. prop unit. lcomprising cooperatinginclined'wedgingsurfacesfand means for producing relative movementbetween said wedging surfaces, and power means embodied in said prop andeffective through said connecting means and being operable to producesaid pushing and pulling forces.

4. In a mine roof prop of the character described, a pair of adjacentprop units movable relative toveach other along the mineloor,vconnecting means connecting said prop units and effective totransmit pushing and pulling forces therebetween for causing suchrelative movement between the prop units, power means operable toproduce said pushing and pulling forces, each of said prop unitscomprisinga floor engaging member and afroof engageable memberpairedtherewith Vand's'uch paired oorand roof members having cooperatinginclined wedging surfaces on their adjacent faces, and means associatedwith each of said prop units for producing relative movement between itsWedging surfaces for moving the roof member thereof into and out ofengagement with the mine roof, the last-mentioned means for each propunit comprising relatively movable parts connected respectively with thepaired members of such prop unit.

5. In a self-propelled mine roof prop device, a pair of adjacent propunits each comprising a generallyV wedge-shapedl mine floor engagingmember and a generally Wedge-shaped mine roof engageable member withsaid roof engageable member being supported by and movable relative tosaid floor engaging member, and actuating means for the roof engageablemember of each of said prop units, said prop units being reciprocablymovable relative to each other and along said mine door as astep-by-step advance movement of the prop device in response toalternate pushing and pulling forces transmitted between said propunits, and connecting means connecting said prop units for said relativemovement and including power means for producing said pushing andpulling forces.

6. In a self-propelled mine roof prop device, a prop unit comprisingr apair of spa-cedjacks, a second prop unit comprising a, single j ackdisposed between said spaced jacks, each of said jacks comprising asubstantially wedge-shaped mine floor engaging member and asubstantially wedgeshaped mine roof engageable member with said roofengageable member being supported by and movable relative to said floorengaging member, an actuating means for the rooiengageable member ofeach of -said jacks, said prop units being reciprocably movable relativeto each other and along said mine oor as a step-by-step advance move,-ment of the prop device in response `to alternate pushing and pullingforces transmitted between said prop units, transverse `bar meansadjacent one end of the prop device, means connecting the floor engagingmembers of said spaced jacks with the end portions of said bar means,and a reciprocably operable power cylinder device connecting the oorengaging member of said single jack with the intermediate portion ofsaid bar means and being eiective to produce said pushing and pullingforces.

7. In a self-propelled mine roof prop device, a prop unit comprising apairA of spaced jacks, a second prop unit comprising asingle jackdisposed between said spacedjacks, each of said jackscomprising a mineiioor engaging member and a mine roof engageable member and areciprocably operable power cylinder device having its ends connectedwith such floor and roof members and adapted to cause relative movementtherebetween,

said iioor and roof members having cooperating inclined wedging surfaceson their adjacent faces, said prop units being reciprocably movablerelative to each other and along said mine iloor as a step-by-stepadvance movement of the prop device in response to alternate pushing andpulling forces transmitted Ibetween said prop units, transverse ,'barmeans adjacent one end of the prop device, means connecting the oorengaging members vof said spaced jacks with the end portions of said barmeans, and a reciprocably operable power cylinder device connecting theoor engaging member of said single jack with the intermediate portion ofsaid bar means and being effective to produce said pushing and pullingforces.

8. A mine roof prop as dened in claim 3 in which said floor engagingmember and said roof engageable member are in the form of wood timbers.

9.' A mine roof prop as deiined in claim 3 in which saidv floor engaginglmember and said roof engageable member are in the form of wood timbers,and in which said cooperating inclined wedgingV surfaces are formed byadjacent surfaces of said timbers.

PAUL J. MALLOY.

Country Date Germany Dec. 3, 1942 Number Number

